


Night Without Stars

by Maeve_Nightsong



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Companions Questline (Elder Scrolls), Dark Plot, Drug Use, F/M, Forced Prostitution, Gang Rape, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Not the Dragonborn, Old Work, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, Underage Sex, Werewolves, Will be getting a rewrite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_Nightsong/pseuds/Maeve_Nightsong
Summary: Lily was a poor street urchin living in Riften when a mysterious man arrives claiming to be the owner of an Inn and offers her a job. Unprepared for the future that awaits her, it becomes a chore just to survive.
Relationships: Farkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Character(s), Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	1. Ratway

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this story about 6 years ago before my laptop up and died. I'm just getting around to posting it again after fighting myself over rather or not it was worth posting again. I love this story, it is my first real attempt at writing a "Novel". I plan on rewriting the whole thing since its been long enough that my entire style of writing as changed so dramatically over the years. Looking at it now, it sounds like the ramblings of a first time writer. (points at self)

It was a cold, dreary morning in Riften, like the many before them. It had been like this for several weeks, though it did not always rain. Lily wished it was one of those days, rather than the downpour she faced now. She sat behind the Bee and Barb, the small, rough square of burlap wrapped tightly around her. But the cold persisted. The rags she wore were soaked through, and her damp hair stuck to her face.

She had always known this life, abandoned on the streets as a young girl, left to take care of herself. She believed that she was abandoned in Riften so that she would be taken to Honorfall Orphanage, but they never took her in. No one came to help her; no one cared. She learned fast that being a sad, little orphan, compared to being a street urchin meant the difference of how you were viewed in the world.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of her stomach, loud and furious. It had been days since her last meal, and while she was used to going without, it was still painful. The last time she had anything to eat was three days ago. She had been lingering around the market, just outside the half wall, when the red-headed man called Brynjolf dropped an apple from his satchel as he walked to his stall. It had rolled right to her feet and although he glanced back, he kept walking. So she grabbed it and hid to enjoy her lucky meal. How sweet it had tasted; how it quenched her thirst and filled her belly. She sighed sadly thinking back on it, her stomach only angered by the thought of food.

Pulling her piece of burlap over her head, Lily got up from where she sat against the wall to start searching for her next meal. There were plenty of barrels around, she was sure to find some scraps. She hoped.

She found her way to the alleyway by the pawnshop and began searching through the trash for anything she could find. An old shoe. No. A broken candlestick. No. Something that was so rotten that it had started to turn to a vile black liquid. Nothing. But this city was large enough she just had to keep looking.

It was later in the day as she descended the steps to the lower part of the city. The rain had let up and the merchants seized the opportunity to open their stalls for the remaining hours of light. From below their feet, she could hear their hustle and bustle picking up.

“Protect yourself with the finest armor!” cried the shield-maiden at her stall.

“Fresh meat and produce! Straight from the farms!” Shouted a merchant woman.

“I’ve got everything you need for a fair price!” Called the dark elf from his trading stall.

The air was cool and the faintest whiff of something baking in a nearby house made her pain worse. She quickened her pace, praying to Mara she would think of something before nightfall. After going through a few more barrels, she saw one of the rusted old doors that lead down into the ratway.

Beggars row. She had lived in this city for years. After the first couple years on her own, she gave up. She decided to do things for herself and stop begging for handouts. It never crossed her mind to seek help from the people in the same situation as her. Maybe now was a good time to start.

Then again, the town beggars weren’t always as giving. Just a few days ago, a beggar had shown up dead in the ally behind the temple, of all places. Stabbed in the neck. She heard whispers of what had happened.

Two men were believed to have fought over food that had been thrown out. They had been searching the trash together when they found some, and the fight broke out. The first man pulled a sharp piece of broken metal on the second and jabbed it deep in his neck. He was found with the metal still lodged in.

She remembered seeing the blood reach the street with the rain the next day. The sight made her sick to her stomach and she was happy she hadn’t eaten, or she would have lost it all at the sight.

She stood in front of the broken, unlatched door that hid the beggar hideout from the rest of the world. ‘Should I knock?’ she thought to herself as the rain started to fall again. She didn’t know how to treat this situation. Though it wasn’t a house, people still lived inside this rundown hole in the sewers. She raised her hand hesitantly, still pondering her actions. She knocked on the worn wood softly, unsure of what to expect. She heard movement inside followed by someone shushing others.

“What was that?’’ Whispered a woman’s voice.

“I think someone just knocked at the door.” Said an older man’s voice, sounding very shocked.

“Well, what do we do?” Said another man, sounding worried.

Had she scared them? She just hadn’t wanted to be rude by just letting herself in. They were as unsure of how to handle someone knocking at the door as she was on knocking in the first place.

“Maybe it’s the town guard!” gasped the woman’s voice.

“Hells! Quick! Move it somewhere safe!” Barked the first man.

Lily could hear the sound of feet shuffling over dirt, a heavy item being moved and bottles clinking together. She hadn’t meant to send them in a panic.

“Hello?” called her quiet voice from the door.

“SHHH!” hushed the man again.

Lily could smell the smoke from a fire within the little hovel.

“Hello? Please. May I come in?” her soft voice called out, as light as little bells. “I’m cold and wet from the rain. I just wish to warm myself.”

“And who are you? Hmm? What makes you think you can enter here?” the man asked from behind the closed door.

“Please. I have nowhere to go. I stay behind the bunkhouse at night, but the rains have washed everything away and turned the ground to mud. I've been out in the rain for days, my clothes are soaked and my fingers numb. I'd hoped you had room for me, and maybe something you could spare for me to eat.” Lily pleaded to the faceless voices behind the door.

The heavy wood door started to move, the rusted hinges squeaking loudly as an eye peered from the crack. Lily stayed still, letting them judge her, to see if she could be trusted.

This skinny young girl stood before them, though she was Nord, she was not as tall as the other girls her age, and she couldn’t have been any older than her fifteenth year. Her usually straight, long black hair, wet from the rains, cascaded down her back, just stopping before her hips. She had tried to keep it up in a braid, but the heavy rainfall had made it come undone, leaving it wavy and tangled.

She was lovely; her skin was light and fair, like a fresh bowl of cream; her eyes were as blue as the summer sky, but slightly sunken in. She was so skinny, if not for the old torn rags she wore, you could have been able to count her ribs. Her shoulder and collarbone were exposed on one side, showing how her skin clung tight to the bone.

The door creaked open wider to show the older Breton man behind it. He was stout and balding on top, but with long, white hair tied up in the back. He also had a thick white beard. He couldn’t have been younger than his mid-sixties; his eyes were a deep gray, and his lips were dry and cracked as he smiled at the girl before him.

“Well, well. The little urchin that likes to shadow the market. We always wondered why you never came down sooner. If you want, you can come sit by the fire, but we have no food to spare. Pickings have been slim lately, and what we find, we keep. Got it?”

“Yes sir. Thank you.” She said shyly as she slipped through the door.

There were two other people in the small space around the fire. One was an Imperial man, younger than the first, but well into his thirties or forties with short brown hair and messy stubble. The second was a small, older Nord woman, her gray hair to her shoulders, her eyes cold and staring.

“Who is this, Gibb?” The woman asked the older man.

“We’re just letting her sit by the fire, Edda. Leave her be and let her warm-up.” He replied to the obviously upset woman.

"I'm Gibby." He said turning his attention back to the girl as she sat by the fire. "This is Edda, and that's Brixus, but we call him Brix. Snilf stays here as well, but he took the break in the rain to go beg at the market." Gibby smiled at the girl, his cheeks plump and rosy like she pictured a happy grandfather would be. "And who are you, my dear?" He asked.

"I'm Lily. Thank you for letting me join you by your fire." he politely answered as she sat on the stone floor.

"Oh, it's nothing, lovely Lily. Ha! I like that! I'll call you Lovely Lily. Just like the flower. Aren't I clever, Edda?" He laughed at his friend. Lily couldn't help but blush at the comment.

"Yeah. Sure. Clever." Edda said, rolling her eyes at Gibby.

"Excuse my friend here." Said Gibby. "She lost her sense of humor when she lost... Well, everything." Lily looked up shocked. Gibby took notice of her expression. "We weren't always like this, you know. We had homes, families, and some money to our names. What did you expect?" He asked.

"Well, I'm not sure.” she thought. “I've always been like this. I don't remember anything before Riften. They said I had a head wound when they found me in the stables. I couldn't have been more than eight. All I remember is coming in the gates with a guard, then they were gone. I was just left like this. They didn't even bother making sure I got to the orphanage. But can I ask, how did you end up like this?'' Lily wondered aloud.

All three looked at each other for a short moment before looking away. After a long silence, Gibby sat in the lone wooden chair and was the first to speak.

"Everyone has their reasons. Everyone has their stories." He looked at Lily and sighed. "I had a home, a wife. She was the most beautiful woman you could set your eyes on. She was a skilled healer working in the temple of Kynareth, I met her outside of Whiterun years before, back when I was traveling, and we got married and built a small home in the Reach. She gave me a strong son and the sweetest daughter. But she was killed while helping heal some men on her way back from Markarth. Those men were hurt, and she just wanted to help. She was kind like that. Always going out of her way to make sure everyone could be helped."

Gibby stopped to take a jagged breath as tears threatened to fall down his face as he relived the memories he hadn't let himself relive in years. Lily cautiously took his hands, hoping it would help. She could feel herself being watched and looked up to see Brixus staring at her through narrowed eyes. She turned her attention back to Gibby and he weakly smiled at her, patting the back of her hand as he continued.

"They were a group of Forsworn that had been attacked by Imperial soldiers. When they went back for their wounded, they caught her there and killed her without bothering to figure out who she was, or what she was doing for them. When she didn't return home that night, I went out looking for her. They left her in the street, bleeding out. They took everything they could from her trip to the market that morning. My son, Ranger, was just a whelp of a boy. He hadn't yet reached his fifteenth year, but had become so enraged at his mother's death, that he left in the middle of the night, determined to avenge her himself. We never saw him again. We never even found a body." He withdrew a hand to wipe his eyes, the pain of his lost loved ones still cut deep. She gently squeezed his hand to let him know she was there for him.

"Thank you, lovely Lily. For listening to an old man's tales. You remind me so much of my daughter, Agatha, when she was your age. So sweet and kind. She was also just like her mother and she too became a healer." He smiled brightly at her. "You would have been best friends had you known each other then. But I lost her as well." He said, his a voice thick with tears.

Again, feeling the Imperial's eyes on her she looked up to see him still staring at her. His eyes tracing up and down her. She turned to Gibby. "May I ask what happened?" Lily asked quietly, wanting to keep him talking and to keep her attention from Brixus. The way he looked at her made her skin crawl.

"Like her mother, she wanted to help. When the Markarth Incident reached us, she was determined to help. Not to fight, but to heal, as her mother did in the Great War. There was an accident, her caravan was outside the city and the horses were spooked by something, a couple of carts fell off the side of a cliff. One carrying supplies and weapons, the other, people. It took her and a handful of soldiers with them. It was an accident. There was no one to take revenge on. Just bad luck.” he sighed.

“I later lost my home when the small stead we lived in had a fire start in one home which spread through the fields to most of the others. No one was killed, thank the Gods, and few were hurt, but most were left with nowhere to live. I lost everything. I didn't belong there anymore. After a few years of wondering, I ended up here in the Rift. By then, I had nothing and took to being a beggar on the street. And that's my story." He paused a moment to catch his breath.

"Edda will never share her story and I don't push. Brix here lost it all while working with a trading ship that went down, ended up here like the rest of us. So you see, we all have our burdens to bear." He smiled at her again, ending his story.

"I have one more question." She asked.

"Anything my dear." Gibby replies smiling a big crinkly eyed smile at her.

"What were you so worried about hiding when I knocked on the door?" She asked. Then Gibby and Brixus started laughing.

“Well, we weren't very subtle about that, now. Were we?” Gibby laughed in a bombing voice.

"We thought you were town guards checking up on us!" Laughed Brixus from across the room.

"You see, they get bored and like to 'check-in' on us. Make sure we don't have any stolen items or such." Chuckled Gibby. "They think that just because we're beggars, that makes us thieves! No, we leave that for the guild here in the city. We don't rat them out and every so often, we get a little something in return. Usually, it's a crate of food or ale. This time," Gibby cut off as he stood and walked to the broken barrel at the back of the space. It was up against a closed grate that leads deeper into the ratway. He opened the barrel and continued. "they left us something a little more potent than ale or mead." He lifted a small box that clinked around as he carried it over. He lifted a small purple bottle and handed it to her.

"What is it? A potion?" She asked, confused. "I've never seen a potion bottle like this before."

"Better than a potion." Brixus smiled, taking a couple of bottles from the box, handing one to Edda. He walked over to Lily and sat down, his hand resting on her knee. She scooted away a bit at his touch. He frowned at her but put his hand down to his side when he saw Gibby glaring back. Brixus downed the bottle's contents and laid on the floor, waiting for it to take its effect.

"Ah, skooma." He sighed. "The sweetest thing you'll ever taste. Sweeter than a woman's lips, smoother than the touch of her skin." He said as Gibby turned to put the box back in its hiding place.

He reached up to put his hand on her leg again when he saw the older man had his back to them. She flinched as his hand moved up to her thigh, lightly squeezing her when she tried to move away again.

"Brix! That is enough!" Gibby shouted at the man on the floor. "I'm tired of you pulling this shit."

"The girl is in our space! Who cares if I think she should pay something for letting her stay here. It's just a little fun." He smirked as he put his hand in between her legs. "You seem sweet, dearie. How about you come a little closer. I'll keep you nice and warm. All. Night." He smiled at her, making her skin crawl as he put his arm around her shoulders and placed a hand on her breast.

"Stop it, please." She replied meekly, trying to move away from his touch.

"You leave that poor girl alone or so help me!" Taking Lily's hand and leading her gently away from Brixus. "If you touch her again, you will lose that hand! You won't have another chance, not after you killed Wilhem. You have lost all chances!" He shouted back.

Edda stood and backed up from the scene, not wanting a part of it. "I'm going to the market with Snilf." She said as she slipped out the door.

Brixus stood to be face to face with the older man. The two glared at each other for what Lily thought was an eternity as she clung to Gibby's arm.

"That bastard had it coming!" Brixus yelled, finally breaking the silence. "He was always stealing the food that we found and blaming everyone else for it. We all knew it was him. And when he punched me over that pitiful rabbit bone, I had had it! What is one less beggar to this world? Huh, Gibb?" He demanded of the other man.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset him." Lily said quietly. Gibby, turn to face her, shielding her, as Brixus stormed past out the door, mumbling something under his breath. Lily couldn't help but to think it was directed at her. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I didn't want to make anyone upset."

"No, no my dear. He should not have upset you. This was a long time coming for him. He has been causing trouble for us for a little while now; it was bound to be brought up. And you should never apologize for feeling uncomfortable. He had no right to touch you like that, but you had every right to let him know that and say 'no'."

"Thank you Gibby." She said looking at the ground. "You have been so kind. I hope you fix things with Brix. But I must go for now. I still haven't found anything to eat today." She said placing the tiny purple bottle back into his hand. He squeezed her hand gently for a moment, not letting go. His forehead creased as he thought to himself. He looked up at the sweet girl in front of him and smiled.

"What's wrong, Gibby?" She asked, noticing his expression.

"Lily? Would you like to stay with us?" He asked. "We have a spare bedroll that is not being used. I would hate for you to be stuck in the rains again. Brix got me thinking, it wouldn't be right to let you be on the streets alone at your age, especially after what he tried to pull. I would never want my daughter alone with someone like him lurking out there, same goes for you."

She smiled at the sweet man before her. All her years, she had never had any family, and in the short time she was here, she finally felt that.

"Of course. I would love to stay. Thank you." She whispered, nearly in tears.

A couple weeks passed, and all was wonderful for the girl without a home or family. Brixus had not returned but was seen around town every so often. Edda had been told by someone near the temple that he was seen talking to a man from out of town.

She was happy with her new little beggar family in their little hole in the ratway. But food was still scarce, and she had not eaten much. They all shared what they could find, but it had been a few days since their last meal. She needed to find something. She went and sat by Gibby.

I need to go out again." She told him. "I will go and try to find some food, and then I will return. I will keep away from Brix if I see him" She said, stating the all too familiar pattern of their food runs and looked out the door. The sun was almost set and little light clung to the day as the stars started to fill the sky. The moons were already shining bright overhead as light clouds passed. "I will not linger." She reassured Gibby.

“I know my dear. If you haven’t returned, we will come to find you. And remember the painted stone. Drop it for us to find if there is trouble.” He said and she placed the small, bright green stone in the makeshift pocket of her tunic. “Please, be safe out there.”

“It’s alright.” She told the sweet man she had begun to see as a father after the past weeks she had lived there. “I will be back as soon as I can. Maybe I’ll find something for you.” She smiled, squeezing his hand before setting out.

The air was cool and fresh, it felt good to her. She walked along the canal again, this time with a much happier step. The crickets chirped and the birds sang their goodnight tunes. He heart finally felt light, she had a dance to her step and a song on her tongue. She hummed a light tune as she walked along. When she was under the bridge to the inn she heard the sound of someone tripping. She heard a man curse as he picked himself off the ground and head into the inn. She could see the back of his coat and hat as he walked over the bridge.

‘I hope he is alright.’ She thought to herself as she leaned back to get a better look at the man. Suddenly, from behind, something hit her legs and screaming, she fell backward into the water. She kicked and flailed her arms trying to right herself in the dark muddy water, but hit the bottom. The water wasn’t too deep, but it was deep enough to where she could not stand and have her head out of the water. She had to make her way to the ladder before she ran out of breath. She was not a good swimmer and feared drowning in the dirty canal. With eyes squeezed shut, she felt her way along the bottom towards what she hoped was the walkway that lined either side of the canal. Her head started to become light and her chest grew tight as her lungs begged her for air, when her hand finally hit wood. She felt around a bit more and found another piece of wood above it.

It was the ladder. As she felt around the step, her hand hit something and she recoiled. It took a second, but she realized it was something cloth that was sitting on a step. Quickly grabbing the item she finished climbing the ladder and her head emerged from the water and gasped for air.

She climbed out and laid on the walkway for a moment, trying to catch her breath, but coughing up water instead. After a few minutes, and when her breathing returned to normal, she sat up to see what her hand had found. She placed the small cloth bag on her lap and pulled the drawstring to see what was within. To her greatest surprise, it was filled with a few gold septims. Maybe enough for several meals. She wasn’t sure, she had never seen this much gold before.

‘Oh what luck!’ She thought to herself. She guessed the bag had probably been sitting in the canal for a long time, since no one comes down here, and doubted it would be missed any more than it already was. She decided to go buy a few loaves of bread to surprise everyone when she returned and was excited to do something nice for Gibby after he offered to take her in. She wrung out her clothes and tried as best as she could to get as much water out of her hair as she could manage.

When she felt presentable enough, she skipped off towards the inn hoping there were some fresh loaves left. Her humming turned into a song, light and sweet. It was mostly nonsense, but she didn’t care. She was happy, and so her song would be. She sang of how she loved the starry night sky, the sound of the water lapping against the walls of the canal, how the Divines were looking out for her, she even praised all the rain and how it would help all the colorful flowers grow. Her sweet voice filling the night with beauty as she made her way to the inn. She was finally happy that her life was turning around, for she was no longer alone.

She stood outside the Bee and Barb, nervous. She could hear the laughing and clatter of tankards and chairs being moved across the floor. She had never ventured in; she never had any money too. She clung tight to the bag and took a deep breath, placed her hand on the door, and walked in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do have a Facebook page for updates on the progress on my storied as well as just memes and such. I'd appreciate you checking it out if you like my works. Thanks Dearies! https://www.facebook.com/MaeveNightsong


	2. An Offer

As she stepped into the Bee and Barb, the smell of fresh food hit her nose and her stomach reminded her of just how hungry she was. People chattered and laughed as they ate their meals and drank their mead until they saw her walking towards the counter. The room started to grow quiet as they watched this little Nord girl walk across the room, hushed voices, murmuring and whispers took the place of gossip and laughter.

“Unless you’ve got some coin, get out of here.” Snapped the Argonian woman from behind the counter. “This isn’t a charity, and I don’t do handouts.”

“Keerava, hear the poor girl out.” Said a priest of Mara as he walked in the door. “Has she ever bothered you before? I would not think so. She is a sweet girl who visits the temple weekly. What is it you seek here, my child?” He said turning to the young girl.

“I just wished to buy some food.” She answered shyly, looking at the floor as she spoke. “I found this small satchel in the canal and hoped it was enough for a loaf of bread.”

“My coin pouch!” Said the man in the corner table of the inn.

“I knew it!” yelled Keerava. “Just another little thief. She probably visits the temple only to steal from the offerings! I should call the city guard to drag you out of here.”

“What? No! I...” Lily stammered, trying to explain herself.

“No, no. It’s alright, madam. I believe her when she said she found it in the river below the city. You see, I just lost it in the water earlier this evening. How fortunate that you retrieved it so soon.” The man replied as he got up from the table and walked up to the girl, putting out his hand for the bag. He was a tall Nord man, in his thirties, with neatly styled blond hair and a clean-shaven face. He looked strong and towered over the girl, being a couple of heads taller. Her height stopped at about his chest. He looked strong, but not bulky, with sharply defined facial features.

Lily wanted to cling tight to the treasure that she had found, but she knew that wasn’t right. The money had belonged to him, and she had no right to claim it. She sighed and placed the bag in his hand. The priest smiled at her as he exited the inn.

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” She said looking at the floor again. “I’m glad I was able to help retrieve it for you.” She turned and headed for the door again, nearly in tears. She believed her luck was turning around, but that seemed almost impossible for someone like her.

“Young lady, wait.” Called the man as she reached the door again. “I would like to pay you back, for finding this for me. Please, won’t you sit and have a meal with me?” He asked her.

She looked back at him in shock. No one had offered her anything like this before. She expected him to take his money back and shoo her away, like any other dirty street beggar. She stared in awe at him as he pulled back a seat at the table in the back of the room.

“What is your name, my dear?” The man asked, cocking his head slightly to the side.

“I’m.. I’m called Lily.” She answered, still not wanting to meet his eyes.

“Lily, how sweet.” He smiled at her. “Please, sit.” He motioned for her to take her place at the table with him. “Please, you went through all that trouble for that bag, you might as well get something in return. You’re so skinny, I wouldn’t feel right letting you leave here hungry when you went through all that for some bread.”

“Me?” She asked, confused. “No, I’m sorry. But I don’t think I’m wanted here.” She told him sadly and continued toward the door.

“Nonsense. I want you here.” He said taking her hand gently. “Let me feed you.” He pulled the chair out for her and motioned for her to sit. She looked around the room, and though a couple of patrons were looking her way, it had mostly returned back to the chatter it was before. “I’m Hunter. “ He told her as she slowly sat in the chair that he tucked in behind her.

“Madam.” He called to the Argonian woman. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Keerava.” She retorted, sounding annoyed. “Just Keerava. No miss, no misses, and no madam.”

“Ah yes, well. Could we get an order of-“

“If you want something, take it up with Talen-Jei. I deal with rooms, not taking orders.” She interrupted. “Talen! Move your tail and take care of the customer and his, uh, guest.” She shouted at the Argonian male that ran the inn with her.

“Keep your scales on, woman! I’m already on it.” Replied the tall, green, scaled man as he walked over to their table from across the room.

“Welcome to the Bee and Barb.” He greeted unenthusiastically. “What can I get you tonight?”

“Yes, can we get a couple bowls of your beef stew and a loaf of bread for the table?”

“Right. Any ale or mead with that?” Talen asked. “The Bee and Barb boasts a few specialty drinks if you are interested.”

“Well, that sounds interesting. What kind of drinks?” Asked Hunter.

“All drinks are handcrafted by me. We have three house specials; first, we have the White-Gold Tower, which is heavy cream with a layer of blended mead, lavender, and Dragon's Tongue on top. Second is The Velvet Lachance, which is a mixture of blackberry, honey, spiced wine, and a touch of nightshade. Perfectly safe, I assure you. Lastly, and only for the bravest of souls, we have the Cliff Racer, which is Firebrand Wine, Cyrodiilic Brandy, Flin, and Sujamma.” Listed the Argonian.

“I think I will have the cliff chaser. In the largest flagons, you’ve got. And for the lady, a spiced wine. Might as well treat her to something nice with her dinner.” Said Hunter as he offered the Argonian a handful of gold septims.

Talen looked at the amount the Nord had placed in his hand and smiled. “Anything you need, sir, just ask and I will be glad to help.” He grinned as he walked away recounting all the gold he had just been handed.

“So, Lily. How old are you?” The man asked the Nord sitting across from her.

“Oh. Um, I am in my fifteenth year, as of this past fall. I shall be sixteen come Last Seed.” She answered.

“Fifteen. So young, my dear. Where is your home?”

“I… I don’t have one.”

“Wait, you’re all alone? So young with no home? That’s not right. I lovely girl like yourself shouldn’t be alone. Where do you sleep? Find shelter or food?”

“I find what I can, most of the time my food comes from trash bins. And I used to have a small hay pile that I put together behind the bunkhouse, but the rains were so bad, that they washed it away. The whole area is nothing but mud now.” She said sadly. By then Talen had returned and was placing the bowls in front of them and the bread on the center of the table. The smell was so wonderful, her stomached begged for it out loud.

“You must be very hungry.” He laughed. “Please, eat.”

She smiled at him and lifted the spoon that sat on the table by her hand. The stew was thick, with large chunks of beef. Cut carrots, potatoes, peas and minced herbs colored the broth. The smell was rich and savory, it made her mouth water. The Argonian man placed the mixed drink in front of the man, and a goblet in front of her. He then placed the bottle of spiced wine on the table by the bread and walked away again.

She stirred around the contents in the bowl before bringing a small amount to her lips. She sipped the broth, scared that too much would make her sick. She was not used to so much food at one time. The taste was rich and meaty. She scooped up a chunk of beef and a slice of carrot. The meat was tender, and the carrot was sweet and still a little crunchy. She couldn’t help a quiet moan from escaping her. She couldn’t remember ever having anything fresh. Embarrassed, she glanced up at the man across from her to see him looking at her, a small grin on the corner of his mouth.

As she ate, the man took the bread and started cutting slices off and handed her a piece. It was still warm from the fire that baked it. The crust was flaky while the inside was soft and molded to her touch.

“Try dipping it into your broth.” He suggested.

She let the broth soak the bread through, watching it turn the same dark color as the stew. She savored the taste as the bread filled her. He poured the wine into her goblet as he watched he eat, smiling. “Try the wine, my dear.” He handed her the goblet. The wine was a vibrate dark red, the scent of fruit and sweet spices was warming. Unknowing, she took a large gulp, it was almost too bitter, the taste resembling rotting fruit, like the ones she had eaten from waste bins before. It wasn’t so much that she couldn’t handle the taste, but it was strong and made her cough.

“Haha! Slow down, my pet!” Hunter laughed, seeing her reaction to the alcohol. “Fine wines are usually sipped and savored. If you are that thirsty, then I shall buy you a tankard of sweet mead. Drink as many of those as you can tonight, on me of course.” He continued laughing as he signaled the Argonian man to return. When he reached the table, he ordered a tankard of Black-Briar mead and told him to keep them coming.

After a while, the stew sit happily in her belly, and the mead made her feel warm. Her cheeks felt flush and her spirits lifted. They had sat quietly and ate for a time, but at the end of her meal, the man had asked a few questions about her. Like, where she thought she was from and if she had any family to speak of.

“Surely you remember something?” He asked. “How you came to Riften? Or who your parents might be?”

“I have no memories of before entering the gates here.” She answered. “I was small and was told by a guard that I was found in the stable. I had a wound on my head and nothing else. No family, no belonging, and no money. No one bothered to take me to the orphanage. I tried to go there myself, but the old woman running the place just stuck up her nose, told me no one wanted me, so she shouldn’t bother taking me in, then slammed the door in my face. That is just how it always has been.” She looked down at her hands that sat on her lap, not wanting to meet his eyes. “But enough of my story. There is nothing much more to tell.” She said and tried to look happy. “What brings you to Riften?” She asked.

“Ah. I am an innkeeper. I own a nice little inn just outside of Falkreath. Every few months I have to travel for supplies that I cannot get locally.”

“Where have you traveled to?” She asked excitedly.

“Well, I first traveled to Rorikstead to order fresh produce. That will be delivered to Falkreath, where I will pick it up and take it the rest of the way to my inn. After Rorikstead, I traveled to Darkwater Crossing. I have a friend there, see? He is a great hunter that I pay whenever I pass, for all the game he sends me. And then I made my way here to stock up on mead and fishing supplies.”

“That must be very exciting. To have an inn where you can meet so many new people. And to be able to travel so freely. I would never have that chance. Most ignore me, or deny the fact that there are people out there on the streets, under their feet.” She sighed. He poured her another tankard of mead from the pitcher that Talen-Jei had left on the table. She drank it slowly, though she had had a few too many cups of mead already, and she could feel it. And he could see it. As soon as she placed the cup back on the table, he was filling it again. Thinking him generous; she thanked him and began sipping on it.

“I would like to ask you something, Lily.” He started, as he looked her over. Her cheeks were bright red, and her body lightly swayed where she sat. “I just hate the idea of leaving here tonight, knowing you will be back on the streets again. I was wondering, if you would like to come work for me, at my inn. I am in need of an extra set of hands. It can get busy, and it is hard for me to keep up with it. I haven’t had my inn running very long, but as time passes and it gets busier, I have realized that I could use some help.”

She put her head down and tried to think it over. But her head was spinning. “I’ve never left the city.” She started. “I’ve just made a friend who I have been living with the past couple weeks or so.”

“Who?” Hunter asked, interrupting her thoughts, his eyebrows creased.

“Gibby.” She answered, trying not to slur his name. “He said I could stay with him and the others. They had an ex..ess…extra bedroll.” Her words starting to blend together. He handed her the tankard of mead again and encouraged her to take another swig.

“Where does… Gibby was it?” He asked. She nodded. “Where does this Gibby fellow live?”

“They… They all live down by…by the… Umm… By the water.” She strained to think as she took another sip of her mead. “In, what people call, Beggars Row.” She tried keeping her eyes open.

“You mean that dirty little place in the sewers?” He asked, sounding shocked. “You expect me to believe that you want to live down there and not have your very own room in my inn? My dear. If you came to work for me, you would have your own place to sleep, a space away from the guests. You would have fresh food every day, clean clothes, and a warm fire every night. Yes, you would be working, but you will be earning all that for yourself. You can also earn extra coin if you work hard enough. I need someone to help take care of the customers, and I know they would just love to have you.”

His words were so inviting. A place to live a real life. To have something to do with herself and not have to worry about where her next meal would come from. But there was something there, behind his words that made her want to decline. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something didn’t feel right. It couldn’t have been his offer. It was too wonderful to see anything wrong with it. She took another drink of her mead, thinking it over. Was there really anything for her here? Thunder crashed outside, making her jump.

No. Nothing would change and she would be right back where she was, on the streets, fighting to survive. She looked back at the man in front of her.

“If I come with you, I won’t go hungry anymore?” She asked quietly. “I won’t have to go another night sleeping in the rain?”

“Of course you won’t.” He answered softly. “You will always have a place to lay your head, something to fill your belly, baths to keep you clean, a fire to warm you, and clean clothes to cover you. I will give you all you need. As long as you do well serving me and taking care of the patrons at my inn.” His eyes were almost burning into her as he spoke, but the mead wasn’t letting her see things clearly, and she didn’t notice the subtle way his voice distorted, darkness behind his words.

“Then, I will come with you.” She answered through slurred words. Her head still spinning, reeling from all that has pasted couple hours. “It has gotten late, and the rains have started again.” She said looking out the door as a patron left for the night. “Will we be leaving in the morning?” She asked.

“No, my dear. I will go upstairs and retrieve my things from the room I rented and pay for the nights I stayed. I have a carriage with my supplies waiting at the stables. We shall leave in just a few minutes.” He told her as he poured the last of the mead from the pitcher to her tankard. “Go ahead and finish this while I retrieve my things.” He said as he stood up. He walked to the stairs and ascended to the upper floor for his belongings.

She quietly sipped the last bit of mead that filled her cup as she thought about what he said. Something he had told her still didn’t feel right and made her uncomfortable. But she just couldn’t place her finger on it. She was so dizzy, the mead making her unbalanced as she tried to stand. She walked towards the door, wanting to return to Gibby first, but stopped. The room started to move around her, though she stood still.

“So eager to go, dearie?” Hunter says as he came back down the stairs.

“Oh. I felt… Standing. Tired legs.” Her words barely forming understandable sentences.

“Well, alright then. I thought I’d let you use one of my cloaks tonight. The carriage is covered, so you will be dry sitting in the back, but the night air can get cold, especially when it is raining like this.”

He handed her the dull, gray linen cloak that he held in his arms. He already wore his cloak, black and lined with what she thought was bear hide. She placed the cloak over herself while he placed a knapsack on his back. He then walked over to Keerava and paid for his stay and food for the road. She thanked him for his patronage then gave him a loaf of bread and a small pack of dried meats that he placed in a small burlap bag. Then, turning towards the door, he placed his hands on Lily’s shoulders and helped her balance as they walked out into the rainy night, his hands holding her tightly to him. Too tightly, she thought.

Once they were out the door, he started to seem like his demeanor changed. His expressions started to harden, he started walking faster, almost dragging her along, his head on a swivel looking for anyone who might see him. As they walked up to the gate, a shadow moved toward them from the alley that lined the houses. The man stopped to face the shadow as it spoke to him.

“I told you she was lovely.” A deep, familiar voice called from the shadows.

“That she is.” He called back. “I suppose you want thanks for the tip you gave me?”

“Thanks, a pat on the back, the gold that you promised me for this tasty little wench. Whatever works for you.” The voice said as the shadow stepped forward.

“Brix?” Lily asked, recognizing the man that now stood before them. “What is going on?” She asked, too drunk to fully stand, let alone realize what was happening.

“It was fifty gold septims for the girl. That was our deal. I find you a girl for your inn, you line my pockets. I pushed her into the canal, I placed the bag on the ladder. She would have never come into The Bee and Barb if it weren’t for my plan. Now pay up.” Brixus demanded.

“Fine. Take your gold. I’m sure she will be worth it.” Hunter replied as he tossed a bag to Brix. The bag landed just short of his reach, spilling the coins out into a puddle at his feet. Hunter laughed at him as he quickly fell down to his knees, trying to pick up all the coins as fast as he could, as the cold rain pelted down on him.

Hunter quickly turned back toward the gate, yanking Lily by the arm and dragging her forward.

“Wait!” She cried out. She was so drunk that she tripped on her own feet, falling hard on her side. She could hardly feel the pain, or when the man dragging her out the gate yanked on her arm, forcing her to stand again. “I have to see Gibby! Let me go! I told him I would be back soon. I don’t want this anymore!” She sputtered; thinking of the man who had started to be like the father to her.

She yanked herself out of his arms and sprinted towards the canal. But Hunter was faster than her, and caught up to her quickly, grabbing her by her hair as it flew back behind her. She screamed at the pain, but his hand was quick as he covered her mouth and stifled her screams for help.

He swiftly tossed her up over his shoulder and walked back to the gate. But before they exited the city, Lily kicked and flailed herself, shaking loose the green stone from her tunic, and watched it fall to the ground. It was bright and shone against the dark walkways.

She could see the carriage as they approached it. It was larger, with a cover over the top, and seats in the back that were unusable due to the crates and sacks of supplies that filled the back. Its hood covered the entirety of the carriage, including a canopy over the driver’s seat. Tarps hung down over the side and back, but were rolled up at the moment.

They walked up to a carriage and Hunter tossed her into it, landing hard on a bag of potatoes. She tried sitting up, rubbing her back where she had landed and tried not to cry out in pain. She was finally starting to feel the aches of her side, where she had landed, and on her arm where he had grabbed her too tightly and dragged her along.

The night was so dark, almost completely so. The clouds were thick and covered the entire sky. She couldn’t see the moons or stars. The rain fell heavily, pounding on the canvas that covered the carriage, sounding like a drum. The cold winds were blowing strongly, making the trees bend and branches snap. She held herself tightly, as the cold climbed through her, making her muscles spasm and tighten, trying to fight it off. Her teeth chattered as she clung to the cloak around her. The effects of the mead had not worn off, and the world moved around her, though she knew she was still. She could not help but yawn as her vision seemed to go dark.

The man dug through a large sack, full of furs and linens, and pulled out a fur blanket, throwing it over her.

“I can’t have you dying from the cold before we get back.” He muttered as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

She shivered as she pulled it tight around her. The carriage started to move down the road, bouncing as it hit rocks and holes that other carts had worn into the pathways. The rocking was almost soothing, making her even more tired.

“Mister Hunter?” She called out half asleep.

“You will only call me ‘Master’ from now own. Do you understand?” He barked at her.

‘Master?’ she thought. What in Oblivion had she gotten herself into? “Yes, Master.” She answered, feeling uneasy at the sound.

“And you will no longer be Lily. As far as anyone who knew you now knows, Lily is dead.” He demanded. “From now on, you are Lilith.”

That was the last thing she remembered that night before finally, the world drifted away as she succumbed to the drink and lost conciseness.


	3. Changes

The birds were singing as Lily, now to called Lilith, started to wake. Her head was spinning, her back was aching and her arm was throbbing from the night before as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. She couldn’t remember much of what had happened, but faint memories slowly came back to her in small pieces and she was left to wonder and fill in the blanks herself. She remembered eating and her stomach, now upset from the spinning in her head and the rocking of the carriage confirmed that.

She slowly let her eyes open and adjust to the light of the day. There were trees all around her. Different than the ones that surrounded the Rift. Those trees were sparse and colored with reds, yellows, and oranges. The trees that surrounded her now were bright green, full, and densely packed together. It was not raining like she had been used to waking to. The sun was shining down brightly threw the thick canvas of leaves, making the air shine like emeralds. It was warmer here, the fur that laid on her made her feel uncomfortable. She tried to quietly slip it off her, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that she was awake, and places it on a small pile of linens.

As she began to slowly sit up from the awkward position she had laid in all night, she got a better view of her surroundings. There was not much more to see though. The entire area around the large cart was thick woods, and nothing else but the stone road they traveled. She looked to the front of the cart to see the driver; it was the Nord man from the previous night. She was trying so hard to put the puzzle pieces of the night before back together in her head.

A job at an inn, though she did not understand what kind of job. And a man who had… sold her. ‘Was it Brixus?’ She thought to herself. ‘Had Brix been so mad that I turned down his advances that he sold me? What do I do? How do I get back? Gibby must be so worried that I never came back last night.’ She started to internally panic. ‘I have to slip away.’ She thought. ‘I’ll hide in the trees till the cart is far enough away and follow the road back. I have to.’

She waited until an opportunity showed. The cart was rounding a sharp corner, perfect for her to sneak away before he would ever notice her gone. As the corner approached, she quietly crept to the edge to jump and prepared herself for an impact. But what she wasn’t prepared for was the rope that was tied around her ankle.

She noticed it too late as she fell over the back, only for it to tighten around her and stop her fall, just a small space from her head hitting the ground. The carriage stopped immediately, but she didn’t see the driver come right away. She was left to hang there for a moment, her weight pulling on the rope, making it tighter on her ankle the longer she remained there. The pain was horrible, making her cry out in pain. Only then did Hunter walk over to see her hanging from the back of his cart. He stared at her, eyes dark and angry.

“And what do you think you’re doing, Lilith?” He asked her, his expression hard. He reached over for something, it looked like a long thin stick that had been sanded down and polished. “Were you trying to run?”

“No! I swear. I only rolled over to get comfortable, but I rolled too far. I didn't know I was so close to the edge. Please! It hurts!” She cried out, trying to reach for her ankle. She was so scared. What was the stick for?

He reached for a dagger on his hip and drew it from its sheath. Slowly, excruciatingly slow, he walked to her, standing over her for a moment more.

“Did you try to run away from me? He asked her again, more harshly this time, raising the stick, as if to hit her with it.

“No! Please cut me loose! It hurts so much! Or pick me back up into the cart, Please!” She screamed.

Angrily he threw the stick back onto his seat at the front of the carriage and came back around to the poor girl hanging by her foot. But be didn’t feel bad for her pain, he felt mad. Roughly, he grabbed a handful of her long black hair and yanked her upright. She screamed and grabbed at his hands on her head as tears filled her eyes from the pain.

Taking the knife, he held it up against her cheek, his mouth suddenly pressed to her ear. “If you try to run, I will not go easy the next time. Do you understand?” he hissed threw clinched teeth. He lifted the dagger and quickly swung it toward her. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blade to pierce her skin, only for the rope on her foot to loosen its grip as she landed hard on the ground.

The dagger clanked on the wood where he threw it down on the back of the cart and she opened her eyes to see him digging through a bag. She lay there, watching him, waiting to see what he would do next. He pulled out a handful of items and turned back around to face her.

“See that lake over there?” Hunter asked pointing to the water that sparkled just behind some trees. She hadn’t noticed the lake. It must have been out of view as from the road before they rounded that curve. She nodded at him.

“Well, you are going to take these items and clean yourself up before we get moving again. You look and smell like a little street rat, and I don’t want that in my inn. Not if you are going to make me any money. See this lumpy looking block? This is what soap looks like.” He told her in a snarky way. “You are going to scrub every last bit of yourself, then you are going to comb these oils threw your hair before rinsing it out. And I have a dress for you when you are done.” He told her, finally starting to speak a little softer toward her.

He knelt down next to Lily and untied the rest of the rope that was still around her ankle before offering her a hand and helping her to her feet. They then walked over to the lake where she sat on a log while he moved the cart off the road to the place they had settled for the afternoon. After he had unhooked the horse from the cart, he led it over to the log and tied its reins to a branch and let it graze.

It was quiet for a while after that. He had decided to take this break to reorganize his stock and take out a few items for lunch while she was to bathe. But he would not let her out of his sight and insisted she was to clean herself with him watching from the shoreline. She tried to protest, but he only insisted that she either cleaned herself with him on the shore or he would come in the water and bathe her himself. She chose the former over the latter.

She slowly waded into the shallow waters, fully clothed in her rags, insisting not to undress till the water was neck deep. He had given her a small wooden bowl to place the soap and small bottle of hair tonic in, allowing them to float next to her in the water as she cleaned herself. When she got deep enough into the water, to where it came up just below her collar bone, the bottom dropped off to where she was completely submerged, with no sign of the lake's floor. She quickly backed away from the edge of the drop, fearing the thought of almost drowning again, and balanced herself on her feet again.

She backed away a few steps from the drop, not wanting to be near such deep waters. What was she going to do? She could undress if she got closer to the edge, but the shallower, safer waters were only coming up to just above her chest. She looked up to see Hunter had returned to organizing his cart, though still had a clear view of her in the water. ‘Maybe he is not paying close enough attention to notice anything.’ She thought to herself. She turned away from him and slowly started to unlace the strings along the side of her waist that held her rags together. She kept looking back to make sure he was not watching. She slipped the torn, dirty tunic off over her head before quickly squatting down till her chin was to the water, tossing the rags to the shoreline.

The day was warm, but the water was cool and refreshing. She gently started rubbing the soap on her arms and was shocked to watch all the dirt and grime wash off into the water around her. She couldn’t remember the last time she really cleaned herself, other than the rain showers she would use to wipe herself down.

After cleaning every piece of her that she could reach, she dunked her head back and ran her fingers threw her hair, trying to smooth the knots and tangles out. Once she had finished, she opened the small bottle of tonic and slowly poured some onto the top of her head. She corked it back up and placed it in the wooden bowl that floated beside her, pulling it back towards her when it tried to float away. Gently massaging her scalp, she worked the oils threw her hair, making it feel light and soft. The scent was wonderfully sweet, like a field of flowers.

Completely forgetting about her new Nord Master, she laid her head back into the water to rinse the oils out. Letting her hair float freely while swishing her head from side to side. It was so relaxing. She wished she could bask in the sun while floating on the water all day. Until something sharp brushed by her arm.

She quickly lifted her head out of the water and stood as still as she could, trying to figure out what had touched her. There was something in the water with her, she was sure of that. Was it a fish? ‘Please be a little minnow, or river betty, or even a salmon. A salmon would explain the size. That’s it, that’s all it is.’ She thought, trying to reassure herself. She franticly looked over the water’s surface for any sign of what swam around her.

But her worst fears were realized when she saw it. It bobbed just under the surface, a little ways in front of her, where the bottom dropped out from under her. It was larger than any she had seen before, though she had never seen one alive before. Its nasty gray scales glimmered in the sun’s rays; its wicked teeth were exposed as its jaws opened slightly and turned towards her.

“SLAUGHTERFISH!” She screamed as she quickly turned and tried running through the water to the shore. Tripping and splashing her way to the waterline, she sprinted, nude, out of the water and onto the grass, collapsing in front of Hunter. Looking back to the lake she saw the slaughterfish swimming after her, trying to swim as far as it could into the shallowest part of the water, only to get stuck in the mud, flopping around.

“What in Talos’ name was that?” He shouted at her.

“I’m sorry.” She gasped. “But it was huge! It was coming right for me.” She explained, trying to cover herself with her arms.

“It is a blasted fish, girl! Now stand up.” He said as he took her arm and pulled her to her feet. “Now go back out there and get my stuff back.” He said as he pointed to the wooden bowl, still floating around where she had been bathing.

“But what about the slaughterfish? It will attack if I’m in its reach.” She pleaded to him, still trying to cover herself with her arms.

Hunter sighed as he drew his knife and walked over to the water. Still stuck in the shallow waters, the fish flopped and splashed about, snapping its jaws as he approached it. He crouched down and pushed his blade through its skull, making a sickening crunch sound and turning the water around it red.

“There. Now get back out there and get my stuff.” He said as he wiped his blade clean on his tunic.

The sight of the blood made her feel queasy as she approached him standing by the water. She couldn’t help herself from gagging, the urge to empty out her stomach rising up her throat. She had never been able to stand the sight or smell of the thick, red liquid.

“What is wrong now, girl?” He demanded.

“It’s just that… The blood…” she muttered.

“This bothers you?” He asked walking towards her, rubbing some blood between his thumb and index finger. She lowered her head and backed away as he stepped closer. “Tell me. Have you not reached womanhood, Lilith?” He asked. “You are about fifteen years, are you not?”

“Well, yes.” She started.

“Then what is it about the blood that bothers you so?” He interrupted. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him before she could answer. He positioned her in front of himself and pulled her arms down, forcing her to uncover herself, bearing all in front of him.

“Let me have a better look at you.” He said, grabbing her chin between his thumb and index finger that was still covered in blood, and turned her head from side to side, examining her. “You have such lovely eyes.” He said looking her over. “And such soft-looking lips…” he trailed off. He backed up a step to get a better look at her, his eyes roaming up and down her figure.

She shifted uncomfortably as he eyed her, wanting to cover herself with her arms again. Now that she stood exposed before him, he could see every curve, every line. She was too skinny, he thought to himself. She was all bone, but he could feed her well enough to get her to a healthy weight. She needed to be strong enough to handle what he had in store for her.

His eyes lingered on her breasts, which were surprisingly large for her weight, though not oversized. They were nicely rounded and full, her nipples hardened from the air. Though it was warm, the gentle breeze on her wet body sent chills through her. He then grabbed her wrist and abruptly turned her to her side to fully take in how thin she was, only to have his gaze fall on her rear. It was also a pleasant size for her weight. He scoffed as he continued to eye her.

“Um, Mister Hunt-“She started.

“You will address me as Master!” He shouted at her, interrupting her and making her jump back a step. But he still had her wrist and pulled her toward him again roughly.

“Yes Master. I’m sorry. But the bowl, in the lake. It has floated too far away for me to retrieve now. I can't swim in deep waters.” She continued.

He looked up from her shape to glance out at the bowl as it still floated on the lakes surface and huffed out a sigh of frustration. He was obviously upset at the loss of his items, though he made no attempt to retrieve it.

“I have more at the inn, and if I need, can always purchase more.” He muttered to himself, going back to eyeing her over. “Now tell me, Lilith. Have you ever been with a man?” he asked abruptly.

“What?” She asked shocked at the question, not quite understanding.

“Answer the question, Lilith.”

“Well, I’m here with you. And back in Riften, I would stay and talk with Gibby…” she muttered, trailing off at the end.

“No, you daft girl. Have you ever lain with a man before?” He snapped.

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“I will have to take that as a ‘no’ then.” He huffed. “Well, that works in my favor.”

“I still don’t understand, si- um, Master.”

He quickly pulled her up against himself, his hand suddenly on her throat, his grip hard and firm, but not too painful. He leaned down to put his mouth by her ear.

“Do you know why I brought you with me?” He asked, his breath hot on her neck. She swallowed hard before answering.

“To work at your inn.” She answered quietly.

“And what is it you are to do at my inn?” He asked sharply.

“I will serve the guests?” she answered questioningly.

“How?” He hissed. His mouth just a hairs width away from her neck. She was scared and couldn’t help shaking with fear; her breathing became rough and jagged.

“I will bring them their food and drinks, and clean up after them?” she hoped it was the right answer, but the way he chuckled in her ear made her believe otherwise.

“I suppose you can do that as well.” He chuckled. ”But you, my little tavern wench, have another job on top of that. Should my guest have the coin, you will take care of them personally.” He stepped back to look at her face again.

She stood frozen; her expression was a mixture of shock and confusion. She didn't know what he meant. He saw her confusion and laughed. “You really are innocent. So very naïve.” He said as he took a handful of her long, black hair, bringing to his face and taking in the scent of her.

“You are much prettier when you’re nice and clean. Who knew your hair would be so soft and touchable.” He said, inhaling deeply. “I couldn’t have imagined that the little urchin girl from the streets could be so lovely underneath all that filth.” He said, closing the gap between them again.

Hunter placed his hands on either side of Lily’s face and caressed her cheeks, slowly moving his hands down her neck, stopping at her shoulders. She was short compared to him, her height stopping at his chest, so when he went to place his mouth on her collarbone, he had to lean her back in his arms, still gripping her shoulders. She did not understand what was happening, it made her skin crawl.

Hunter placed his lips on her collarbone and slowly ran his mouth across her skin to her neck, while his hand moved up her back to her head, entwining his fingers in her hair. Then, gently, he nibbled at her neck, running his teeth along her skin as he kept her head in place.

“What are you doing?” She gasped, trying to pull herself away. Suddenly the hand that entangled her hair grabbed hard, holding her head back. His mouth stopped their nibbles and bit down hard on her neck, letting his tongue taste the length of it, his other hand reaching down between her legs.

“Stop it!” she yelled at him in a panic. She fought against his hold, squirming and screaming at him. “Stop it! Get off of me! Let me go!”

The pain was quick, she wasn’t even sure when it happened. Her cheek stung like little needles covering her skin, all while a fire burned from underneath. She looked up at the hand that had slapped her face, her hand coming to her cheek in delayed recoil. Though she couldn’t see it, Lily’s cheek was bright red from the contact.

Hunter looked at her with his own fire under his eyes. The look he gave terrified her. His face was almost pure rage, she couldn’t understand it. He still had her by her hair, but she dropped to her knees and tried to cover herself again, but this seemed to make it worse.

“Please, I don’t understand.” She pleaded to him.

“You stupid girl. You still don’t seem to get it.” He growled. “Do you have any idea at what you are to do once you are at my inn?” He snapped. “And for the love of Talos, do not say anything along the lines of a barmaid.”

She didn’t know how to answer, and the last thing she wanted was to say the wrong thing. She shook her head at him and braced for the possible recoil.

He sighed as he pulled her by her hair to make her stand and walk back toward the carriage. “ _I_ , my little tavern wench, will be selling _you_ for gold. Men will pay me to take you to their room and… relieve some steam, so to speak. You are now _my_ property.” He could see the shock on her face and laughed. “I don’t see how you never saw it coming.” Hunter smirked. “Now get dressed and get in the cart.” He said handing her the blue dress with the brown corset.

Once she was dressed, he tied her ankle to the rope again and tied the other end of the rope to his seat in the front. Then, once she was seated, he tied her hands together. “To keep you from getting any ideas.” He had told her. He handed her an apple and ripped off a small chunk of bread from a loaf before taking a piece for himself. Some time passed as he readied the cart and ate his lunch before they set out on the road again.

It was late afternoon as they traveled through the forests of Falkreath hold. The birds continued their songs as they flew around the green canopies of the trees. But Lily tuned them out; she had tuned the whole world out as she thought about what Hunter had said to her; what he had done to her. She was scared. She didn’t know what was to come, but the way Hunter made it sound, it wasn’t something she looked forward to, and with that thought, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.

The day passed slowly as they traveled along the bumpy stone road. When the sun began to set through the trees, they reached the town of Falkreath, stopping just outside of the gates. He still had a few supplies to pick up before finishing the trip to his inn. As he prepared to leave, he tied the rope that was around her ankle to a metal loop on the end of the carriage, and knotted it tightly. Then he tied a strip of cloth over her mouth.

“I shouldn’t be gone more than an hour, so you better not try anything stupid.” He said as he tightened the gag. “Don’t make a scene, don’t draw attention, and don’t get my stuff stolen.” He told her as he lowered the tarps to the sides and back, leaving her in the dark, with only a small ray of light shining through the seams.


	4. Plans

Time continued to pass slowly for Lily. Seconds felt like hours, each minute felt like a day. She was trapped with her thoughts. Trapped in a carriage taking her to only the Gods know where. Trapped with a man that would do, only the Gods know what, with her. She watched as the last bit of sunlight faded away, and the fear that held her now was all she could feel. She silently sobbed, still bound, unable to wipe the tears that fell.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. A few minutes? An hour? She couldn’t tell. All she knew was that it was enough time for the sun to set and the moons to rise again. She soon heard footsteps and saw the light of a torch approaching the back of the carriage. Thinking it was Hunter, she shifted around, expecting to make room for whatever supplied he had retrieved, only to hear multiple footsteps behind the first which had stopped when she moved.

“I think there’s something in there.” Whispered a deep voice.

“What if it’s an ambush?” Replied another husky voice.

“What do you think, boss? The first voice asked quietly.

“Oh please. If it was an ambush, they would have done something already. They wouldn’t just sit there with us this close.” Laughed another booming voice that carrying through the night. “Let’s take what we can and get out of here before someone gets back. I don’t feel like killing anyone else today. I have too much blood to clean off of my blade as it is.”

Bandits! What was she to do? She was still bound and gagged, unable to move or scream for help. ‘Oh Gods, help me! Mara, Stendarr, Kynareth, Divines! Please!’ Lily prayed.

“But what if someone is in there? Asked the second voice.

“Then draw your blade, you daft bastard!” Shouted the leader.

She heard the sounds of blades being unsheathed as they moved towards her. She curled in on herself and tried to move away from their approaching footsteps, only to bump into a sack of potatoes that were propped on the seat above her and have the contents fall on top of her.

Her gasp of pain was muffled by the gag, but it was enough. They had heard her. Lily was suddenly blinded by the light of their torches as they threw back the cover that hid her.

“Well, well, well. What have we here? A pretty little package already wrapped up for us.” Said the large, muscular Nord with the leaders voice. “Looks like we scored some good loot and company for our beds tonight, right boys?” He laughed, looking Lily up and down.

Lily wanted to scream, but with the gag, she could only manage to whimper in fear. Why is all this happening to her? She couldn’t understand how the divines could look down on her and allow one bad thing after the other to keep happening.

First being taken by Hunter, who she is now forced to call ‘Master’. And to have an idea of what he planned on doing with her. ‘Maybe these bandits will kill me. And maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. To be free from all of this. To escape before it gets any worse, and I know it will.’ She thought to herself.

She closed her eyes and prayed to the Gods once more.

‘Please. Stendarr, I pray for your mercy. Mara, I pray for your love. Arkay, I pray for peace in my death, should you grant it to me now.’ She sobbed silently into her cloth gag, though no tears fell. She had none left.

The three men laughed at the helpless girl that was bound and gagged in the back of the carriage. All three men were tall and muscular, wearing armor made of fur, which was stained in blood. The leader, who was taller and more muscular, wore no shirt, and his chest was exposed. He had dirty brown hair with braids here and there. The other two men were leaner but just as dirty. One had his hair shaved down to his scalp while the other only had half of his hair shaved off.

“You two start taking what supplies we need. I’m going to have a look at our little prize.” The leader said to the others, as he reached out and grabbed Lily’s chin. The two exchanged a look and laughed at their leader.

“Sure thing, boss. Have fun. Just make sure we can get turns later.” They laughed as they grabbed a couple sacks of produce.

Left alone in the dark with the bruting bandit leader, Lily recoiled from his grasp and curled in on herself, trying to scoot away from the man. But he grabbed her arm and yanked her across the carriage and scooped her into his arms, throwing her over his shoulder. Noticing the rope around her ankle, he quickly took out a small knife and cut the knot before walking away from the cart. She squirmed and let out muffled screams in protest, only for him to laugh at her.

“What are you doing, you silly, tiny girl?” He laughed. “Who would have thought we would find such a prize out here. It has been too long since I felt a woman’s touch.” He said as he pulled her off his shoulder and laid her onto the ground. His figure hovered over her, pinning her. With her hands still tied together, she couldn’t move.

The bandit reached down and slowly started lifting her dress while caressing her legs. His mouth was on her neck, sucking and licking her, moving towards her collarbone. His hands stopped and reached up to loosen the corset tied around her waist and pull her dress off her shoulders, trying to expose her breasts, only to get impatient and rip the dress open.

His hands grabbed and squeezed her, his mouth tracing from her collarbone to her breasts and started teasing her nipples. She squirmed, trying to roll away, only for him to pin her bound hands under one of his own large hands. With his free one, he pushed her dress all the way up, running it along her thighs and feeling the warmth of her womanhood, as his mouth moved between her breasts, his tongue encircling her nipples. She cried out again, only for it to be a muffled sob, at which he laughed.

“You best save your energy.” He chuckled as his mouth traced back up her throat. “I haven’t even started having my fun yet.”

With that he sat back up on his knees, her still stuck under him between his legs, and looked over her half-exposed body.

He reached down and rolled her nipple between his thumb and index finger, and laughed as she squirmed under him at his touch. He then reached down to undo a leather tie and loosened his fur armor, revealing his erect member.

When she saw it, she panicked, screaming into her gag and trying to crawl away. She managed to roll onto her stomach before he could pin her again.

“Quit moving around you little bitch!” he yelled as he tried to get a grip on her. Pulling her up onto her knees, he slid her back on to his lap. She could feel it pressed up against her backside. As he was adjusting her, just about to penetrate, he stopped when a voice rang through the night behind them.

“And what do you think you’re doing with my new wench? And where are all my supplies?” Asked a very familiar voice.

The bandit harshly shoved Lily off of his lap and on to the ground as he reached for his blade. He stood and fixed his armor, putting away his member, before turning to face the voice.

“What does it look like? And who do you think you are, to stand against a bandit lead-“ he stopped short. Shock crossed the bandits face when he saw the man before him.

“Hunter! I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize the carriage was yours. I’ll have the boys bring your stuff back. I didn’t know you’d be back so soon.”

“No, don’t bother. If you already have stuff loaded in your cart, just have them take it to the inn and start unloading for me. But as for my wench?” he gestured to Lily, who still lay crumpled on the ground, now curled into a tight ball, shaking in shock.

“Oh. Well, when we found her, I just thought we’d have a bit of fun. That’s all.” The bandit smirked.

“It depends. And how much fun did you manage before I showed up, Wrath?” Hunter asked with a dark glare in his eyes.

“Enough. Could have been better.” He muttered.

“I hope, for your sake, it wasn’t that much fun.”

“Whys that?” asked the confused bandit.

“Because this little wenches maidenhead is going up for auction in a couple of days. After that, I’ll figure out a decent price. But if you want her, you have to pay for your fun.”

“Yeah, I figured she was maiden. Now it makes sense why you had her tied up to begin with. Where did you steal her from?” Wrath smirked.

“She was a street rat in Riften. No family. No one to miss her.”

“Smart. Last thing you need is a bounty on your head or a reward for her return. She’s pretty though. She’ll make a fine little bed warmer. Never thought an urchin could be so tempting.”

“Those were my thoughts. It was hard to hold back myself, but the gold is going to be worth it.” He smirked. “Well, if you want to bid, be at the inn in the next two days. Bring your pack, and let the others around here know. If you know anyone with coin that you can trust, invite them as well. The more people who bid, the more I make.” He laughed to himself.

“But if I get a group of guards showing up, it will be your head. I worked hard to build my inn and keep it hidden.” His expression growing dark.

He looked down at Lily, curled in on herself and trying to cover her exposed chest with her torn gown. Hearing it said so bluntly shoot her to her core, and the look of fear and horror showed on her.

“Look at the girls face!” Wrath laughed. “You’d think she would have known what was going on.”

“Shes very naïve, so I’ve learned. She remains very innocent, but I'll break her in.”

“What about after the biding?” Wrath asked, eyeing Lily.

“Then you can have her for as long as you can pay for her. Once I decide on a set price, it will probably be by the half-hour. I was thinking by the hour, but knowing most of you, you’ll be finished long before your time is up.” Hunter laughed.

“So what are you going to do about, you know.” Wrath trailed of then spit at the ground by her feet.

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked, watching her try to squirm away, only to step on the hem of her dress.

“Well, I was just thinking. It probably wouldn’t be good business if you had a knocked up slave at your inn. And even if she wasn’t, I only know a few men who are disturbed enough to like the blood. Will you just lock her away for a few days a month?”

“Oh, I see what you mean. No, I already had that thought of ahead of time. There is this dark alchemist out between Riverwood and Helgen. She’s in a witch coven. All necromancers. I spoke with her on the way here, while the girl was still passed out in the back of the cart. She gave me a couple of choices on taking care of that problem.”

“Alright then. And what are they?” Wrath asked a little too eagerly.

“A couple of the options were too bloody and would require a long time for her stomach to heal again. We could make her barren by actually cutting into her and removing her womb, or just stab her there, and hope it works.” He said looking at her with a horrifying grin. She gasped against the gag and clenched her stomach as she started to tremble in fear.

“Then you wouldn’t be able to have her working for a while. And think of all the time it will take to heal her. I wouldn’t think a slave would be worth the effort.”

“No, she’s not. This is where the last option comes in. She may not be worth the time, but I think she will be worth the gold. I believe she could earn it back pretty quickly.”

“And what is this option that will cost so much?”

Hunter leaned down close to Lily, smiling wickedly at her. Roughly he grabbed a handful of her hair in one hand and her face in his other as he made her sit up and look at him as he explained.

“The witch offered to make an elixir. A potion that will take care of the problem for good. All she has to do is drink it. From the way it sounds, the pain will be horrible for her. The brew will take over a day, and it will burn away her insides and leave her completely barren. It won’t keep her from doing her job. In fact, it will make it better. I won’t have to worry about her being unable to work. Nothing will stop her from being a good little whore.” He laughed as he took in the scent of her hair. Before shoving her face back down towards the ground.

She gasped against the gag, staring at the ground in shock. She sat on her knees, holding herself, shaking in fear as the two, large Nord men stood over her.

“I have a proposition for you, Wrath.” Hunter said to the bandit.

“A what?” he asked confused.

“An offer, you moron.” Hunter replied, sounding annoyed.

“Sure thing, boss. What do you need?”

“If you retrieve the elixir for me, I’ll let you have your fun with her. After I make my money off her, of course. I’ll have the auction, give her maidenhead to the highest bidder, and then you can take your turn. Free of charge.”

Wrath looked down at Lily and a huge, sinister smile stretched across his face. “You’ve got a deal.” He grinned.

“Good. Now put her back in my cart so I can get to my inn. And have your boys deliver the goods that they took.” Hunter said as he walked back into the trees, towards the carriage.

Wrath grabbed Lily harshly by the collar of her dress, yanking her to her feet. Lily gasped at the sudden motion.

He made sure Hunter was gone before turning his attention to the girl. He brought his mouth to her ear and started nibbling at her lobe, his hot breath on her as he spoke.

“So I have to wait a couple days. But I will have you, and I will make you a whore. Even if I don’t take your maidenhead, I will claim you another way.” He whispered before placing his mouth on her neck. His tongue gliding across her skin as he slipped his hand in her dress, cupping her breast.

Lily whimpered against her gag, squeezing her eyes shut as Wrath continued to fondle her. His hand traveling across her body, his mouth on her skin. Lily just wanted to fade away. She prayed to the Divines that she would wake up on her bedroll in Beggars Row. Had it really only been a day since she was last in Riften? It left like a lifetime.

“Wrath!” Hunter yelled through the trees, making him freeze. “Where is my wench?”

“I’m bringing her!” He yelled back, turning his head in the direction of the cart. Lily’s breath was jagged as she whimpered into her gag.

“Get used to it, whore. I’m not the only person you’ll have to deal with.” He hissed in her ear, before tossing her back over his shoulder.

Lily felt so defeated, she didn’t fight anymore. She closed her eyes and focused on the movement of Wraths walking. She ignored him as he groped at her thighs and nuzzled his face in her hair.

By the time they reached the carriage, Hunter had lit two metal lanterns placed on either side of the driver seat.

“You can set her down where you found her.” Hunter said as Wrath walked up to him.

Wrath nodded as he tossed her into the back. Lily landed hard on her front, her arms taking the force of the fall. She laid there a moment before weakly pushing herself up onto her knees. Slowly she moved further into the cart and picked up the linen clock from the night before and wrapped it around herself before lying back down on the carriage floor.

“Looks like she’s starting to break.” Wrath laughed as he watched her curl up into a tight ball.

Hunter just made a sound of agreement as he carefully counted out a handful of coins.

“This is the exact amount of gold the witch asked for. No more, no less. Give it to her as soon as she shows you the elixir. And don’t try anything with her. She may look feeble, but she is a powerful necromancer. And I need her alive for future exchanges.” Hunter said as he handed the small coin pouch to his bandit lackey.

“Understood, boss.” He said as he took the gold.

“And Wrath. You screw this up; I will not go easy on you. You know what happens when I am angered.”

Wrath made a face as if remembering a bad past incident. “Yeah, I remember the last time.” He muttered. “Sorry about the dress. I’ll find a new one to replace it.”

“Don’t bother. I had planned on finding a girl when I left the inn. I’ve prepared for her in advance.”

“Oh, I see. Well, guess you got lucky then. What would you have done if you hadn’t found this urchin?”

“There are plenty of prostitutes in Skyrim if you know where to look. Though most are skooma addicts and scums of the cities they reside in, few would notice if one went missing. But whores like that are too used, and sometimes too known. It was a risk I didn’t want to take. So, yes. I got lucky finding her.”

“How did you find her?”

“Some dirty beggar with loose lips. When I asked him if he knew where I could find a whore, he kept going on about this young girl who moved into his rat hole. The drunkard said something about how pretty she was, but how she shrugged off his advances and wanted to make her pay for losing his space in said rat hole. He kept suggesting we ambush her, before he took her for himself. That’s when I flashed some gold and a bottle of skooma. He told me all I needed to know about her. Being an orphan with no one who knew her, she was perfect. We set up a little trap and lured her into the local inn and I saw just how much no one wanted her around. After some mead, it was fairly easy to get her out of the city without much of a fight.”

“Was she always this pretty? I couldn’t see anyone wanting to kick her out.”

“No. I made her bathe in the lake on the way here.” He scoffed. “She looks much better now though.”

“So what’s your name, sweetie?” Wrath laughed at Lily, still gagged.

“She will be called Lilith now.” Hunter answered.

“What was her old name?”

“It doesn’t matter. That girl is dead, and this one stands in her place.”

Just then there was a rustling in the brush around the cart as the two lackeys stepped into the light of the lanterns. They froze when they saw an extra figure by the large bandit brute they called leader.

“Well look who finally decided to come back.” Laughed Wrath.

“Sorry boss. Thought you’d want a little time with the girl.” The first one answered, not looking Hunter in the eye.

Hunter saw the way they looked away from him and cleared his throat.

“Oh. Sorry master Hunter. We didn’t know this was your cart.” The second lackey muttered. “Should we return it to your cart or take it to the inn for you?”

“The inn will be fine. And don’t look so down. I won’t punish you for this. You couldn’t have known I was back. Now off with you and start unloading the supplies into the cellar.” He said sternly.

“Yes sir. Right away sir.” They answered in unison before hurrying off, tripping over their own feet.

“I love how you turn them to a puddle of tears.” Wrath laughed as Hunter climbed into the driver’s seat of the carriage.

“You better be off for that elixir now.” Hunter urged. “I need it as soon as possible.”

“I’m on it. You said between Helgen and Riverwood, right?”

“Yes. Follow the path to the Standing Stones. Embershard Mine sits along that road. Those are some more of my men. Ask them to point out the rest of the way, but the path to her cottage is just across the river from the mine. They should know the way to cross.”

“Got it. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow.” Wrath said as he turned and started following his men.

Lily lay shacking in the back of the carriage as Hunter snapped the reins making the horse jolt forward. She wanted to let her mind go dark. Maybe it would be better if she couldn’t feel anything.

“We’re almost home.” Hunter said happily as they continued down the stone road.


End file.
